Hydantoin ring compounds are useful as an intermediate for the synthesis of an optical material, an electronic material, an active ingredient or intermediate of medicines and pesticides, or an active ingredient or intermediate of diagnostics.
For production method of a hydantoin ring compound (the compound is hereinafter referred to also as hydantoin derivative), there is known a synthesis method of reacting 3-benzylcyclobutanone with ammonium carbonate, ammonium chloride and potassium cyanide in a water/methanol mixed solvent. In the hydantoin derivative obtained by this method are present a syn-isomer and an anti-isomer, which are both geometrical isomers. Column chromatography has been used for resolution of these geometrical isomers into respective isomers (Non-Patent Literature 1).    Non-Patent Literature 1: Applied Radiation and Isotopes, Vol. 58, p. 657, 2003 2.2 Chemistry